Advantages of biosaline agriculture

No use of fresh water resources
When fresh water is more and more becoming a scarce commodity, one of the strong points of biosaline agriculture is that it does not depend on fresh water, but uses unconventional saline water resources. In some cases seawater can be used (salicornia, mangroves, seawater grasses), but brackish water offers a higher potential in salt tolerant species that can flourish on it.

No competition with food production
In the light of rising fossil fuel prices and the upcoming international measures in favour of renewables, new markets for biomass and biomaterials are developing fast. The fact that biosaline production is non-competitive with food-production, combined with the benefits of preventing desertification, are important pushing factors for biosaline agriculture.

Potential CO2 sinks
Vast areas are available that potentially can produce biosaline biomass. Biosaline agriculture may therefore be able to contribute considerably to the production of CO2 neutral bio-energy. At the same time biosaline agriculture gives a positive economic, social and environmental impulse to rural areas that are currently in decline.

Combat desertification
Manmade salinisation often results from overexploitation of natural resources. When salinity becomes a problem, plants will stop growing, giving way to erosion by wind and rain. In the end this may lead to complete desertification, rural exodus, dust storms etc. When applied in time, biosaline agricultural technologies may be able to put a stop to these processes and often even reverse them. The fields regain productivity and biodiversity increases. People will have new income and therefore a reason to stay on their land in stead of changing it for a life in the slums of some third world megalopolis.